Timing is Everything Here
by ice-woman
Summary: Implied Booth/Brennan. Spoilers for all aired episodes. Conversation between the two as they drive back from dropping Parker off at his mom's.


**Timing is Everything Here**  
Booth/Brennan _one-shot_  
Spoilers for all aired episodes.

They drop Parker off at his mother's house. Hannah's in her own car, driving to Booth's apartment, and it strikes Temperance as strange, the dynamic of these relationships.

Booth's her partner. That means exactly that. They work together and they spend a lot of time together. Working, she reminds herself.

It doesn't make sense that she should be the one driving with Booth to bring his son back home, not when Hannah is the one living in his apartment. She shouldn't have a relationship with Parker at all, now that she thinks about it. None of their boundaries make any sense, not when viewed anthropologically.

She starts to bring this fact up to Booth, but something stops her. Something new that's only developed out of working so closely with him for so long. Sweets might call it subtlety, but she has no name for it. She's never had an issue making the atmosphere between them awkward before.

She decides to bring it up to Angela instead. She's much better at clarifying these types of scenarios. Her judgment will be best suited to the situation.

"We're getting chinese later," Booth begins, breaking the silence. "Hannah and I. You can come if you want."

Temperance laughs. "And crash your date? You know, Angela's taught me a thing or two about this third-wheel theory and I think..."

Booth cuts her off quickly. "You're _never_ a third wheel, Bones."

She's not sure what to say to that. "But, you and Hannah are in a relationship," she deduces. "That would make all outside parties the third wheel whenever they go out with the two of you. Isn't that how it works?"

Booth sighs as his foot presses down on the brake. Temperance watches as the light shifts from yellow to red. The colors blur in the rain. There are moments like these, simple and unimportant, that stick with her late at night. But they mean nothing, she always concludes, so she shakes them from her head quickly. Somehow, she's not certain how, they always creep back.

"Yes, technically that's what a third wheel is, but Hannah likes you. And we work together, so we're kind of in a relationship too. Plus, you don't feel weird when you go out with us." He pauses, turning the dial down on the radio. He looks up at her slowly. "Do you?"

Temperance blinks. "The light's turned green. You really should go," she warns him.

Booth's eyes turn back to the road in front of them.

Temperance shifts in her seat. There's a year in between them, she knows, and she feels like they've never caught up with one another yet. Nothing happened, nothing of value, except Hannah, so she's not sure why she feels like everything's different now.

"We can still get Chinese, can't we?" she asks slowly.

Booth laughs. "Of course."

"Hannah won't mind?"

His brow furrows. "Well, I'd assume she'd be there."

Temperance nods. "That's a logical assumption, I suppose."

She reaches for her purse as Booth pulls onto her street.

"Well, what did you mean?" he questions carefully.

"Nothing," she shrugs.

"Did you mean without Hannah?"

Temperance's breath catches in her throat. She takes a moment to think before speaking. "Hannah goes out of town a lot," she remarks. "I suppose, I meant when she's out of town, are we still allowed to have dinner together?"

The words come out strangely. She has to think about whether she's lying to him or not. She can't _tell_ anymore.

Booth turns to her as he pulls up in front of her apartment. "Of course," he says simply. "Why wouldn't we be able to?"

Temperance shakes her head. "I don't know. For many reasons, I'd assume."

She steps out of the car quietly.

"Bones," Booth starts quickly. Temperance leans down to meet his eye. "You're always going to be a part of my life," he assures her. "Hannah doesn't change that. You...you know that right?"

Temperance offers a quick half-smile. "So why does it feel so different then?"

Booth frowns at her. "Because it is. It _is_ different Bones."

She nods, understandingly and looks away. "I don't like it," she admits.

Booth looks down. Cars rush by unapologetically as Temperance waits. She can't remember what she's waiting for anymore.

"It's just _different_." His words sounds like an apology. She doesn't understand. "It's...you have to, you know, _adapt_, or whatever it is you squints call it."

"Survival of the fittest," Temperance exhales. "Darwin." Quoting science is relaxing to her. It calms her nerves. It makes _sense_.

"Yeah, exactly," Booth nods. "It's just like that. Right?"

She nods, forcing a smile. "Right."

"Now go inside. It's pouring," he reminds her.

"Oh," she laughs, rolling her eyes. "Goodbye Booth."

She waves to him over her shoulder as he drives away. Her hair's damp and her clothes cling tightly to her body. Her umbrella lays unopened in her purse. She concentrates too much on unlocking her front door. It requires more thought than it usually does.

She stares at the window once inside, drops of rain dripping onto her carpet. She doesn't pay them any mind. She's preoccupied.

Temperance knows that in order to survive, people must adapt to change. She usually does this so well.

Temperance also knows what happens to individuals who can't adapt.

She doubts that Booth knows.


End file.
